Road guard



E. v. CAMP ROAD GUARD Feb. 24, 1931.

Filed June 2, 1930 amen-fox dbkomqa Patented Feb. 24, 1931 nuennnv. cent, or ATLANTA, GEORGIA ROAD GUARD Application fi1ed June 2,

The invention relates to improvements in froad guards'of the general type shown and described in my copending application Serial No. 312,234, filed October 13, 1928, and of 5 which the present application is a division, in part, the guard comprising a strip or band of sheet metal, rovided with transverse shallow bends, utings or corrugations, stretched between and secured to fixed posts or supporting means at the side of the highway, bridge, or other traffic bearing structure,- so that the band is maintained under longitudinal tension and will afford a yielding resilient barrier which will absorb the shock or force of the vehicle impacting the same and guide or deflect the vehicle back onto the road surface without substantial damage to the vehicleor to the guard.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevation of the guard as applied .to spaced supporting posts.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view.

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing a modified form of attaching means.

. Fig. 4 is a similar view showing a modified form of support.

In the copending application aforesaid, there is shown and described various forms of road guards, involvingfixed supports, usually in the form of posts or abutments fixed along the right of way and a resilient barrier or impact member attached to the supports at 'a height above the ground to engage the forward or laterally projecting parts of a skidding automobile and, because of its inherently resilient character,- to absorb the shock of impact of the vehicle and 'ifso direct the vehicle back onto the roadsurace.

The present invention contemplates a relatively simple and inexpensive form of barrier or impact member comprising one or vided with relatively shallow transverse bends, flutings or corrugations 41 formed and extending throughout the width .of the strip, so that, when the strip" or band in continuous. or overlapping successive lengths is stretched between and secured to spaced posts more strips or bands of sheet metal'll, pro- 19:30. Serial No. 459,009.

or supports, such as 10, the inherent resiliency of the sections of the bands between the posts will cause the shock of the vehicle impacting the band to be gradually absorbed and the. vehicle forced or deflected back onto the roadway. When the impact is head on, the spring tension of the band will gradually check the forward movement of the vehicle and thenreverse the movement of the latter forcing it backward onto the roadway. In-

case the impact between the vehicle and the band is at an angle, the portion of the vehicle impacting the band, whether the same be the bumper, the tire or the hub of the vehicle, the resultant of the force ofthe movement of the vehicle and thespring tension of the band will cause the vehicle to be gradually de-.

fiected into a course parallel with the band or barrier, the contacting part of the vehicle being guided by the relatively smooth sur-' face of the band without-seriously damaging either the vehicle or the barrier. The band is adapted to be secured to the posts. or sup-' vided with transverse shallow bendsor flutings and these may take the form of relatively shallow continuous corrugations, as indicated in Fig. 2, or, as shown in Fig. 3, they may consist of shallow transverse depressions spaced at intervals throughout the length of the band. It is'also obvious that, if desired, the band may be directly attached to the posts or supports by means of screws or bolts or any other appropriate fastening means.

As it is possible thatthe barrier strip, under very heavy impact, may be deformed, by

a car striking the same and being guided thereby toward a post, sufficiently to permit the engaging part of the car to strike the side of .the post, it may be found desirable to provide each post with a spacer block, such as 20, having laterally inclined sides 21 adapted to receive the impacts and assist in deflecting or guiding the car'back onto the road. These inclined faces may be either plain beveled, as shown, or they may be rounded or given any other appropriate form to effect the desired object. These'spacer blocks may be secured to the post by means which secure the strip to the outer face of the spacer block. As shown, simple spikes are employed and, obviously, the same may be substituted by bolts or other fastening devices.

What I claim is:

1. A road guard, comprising a plurality of spaced supports, and a strip or band of sheet metal secured under tension to said supports, said strip having spaced shallow transverse bends extending throughout its width, where-' by the shock of impact of a vehicle will be gradually absorbed and the impacting vehicle will be deflected back upon the roadway.

'2. A road guard, comprising a plurality of spaced supports, and a strip or band of sheet metal secured under tension to saidsupports, said strip having a continuous series of transverse shallow corrugations ex tending throughout its width, whereby the shock of impact of a vehicle will be gradually absorbed and the impacting vehicle will be deflected back upon the roadway.

3. Aroad guard, comprising a series of spaced posts, and a strip of sheet metal stretched between and secured to said posts, said strip having spaced shallow transversely extending deflected sections.

4. A road guard, comprising a series of spaced posts, a strip of sheet metal stretched between and secured to said posts, said strip having spaced shallow transversely extending deflected sections, and spacer blocks having laterally and rearwardly inclined sides interposed between the posts and the strip.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

Q EUGENE V. CAMP. 

